What bird is that ..?

Today in the sunshine,  Ari and I listened to a peacock call nearby.   Olivia called out and asked, 'What's that?  

Ari answered, 'It's a ape-e-cock-t', then giggled his head off as he realised he'd muddled something good to eat with the name of the bird he'd heard.

What really matters .. ?

A little game emerged today with the children collecting stones for money to buy things.   As the stones stockpiled tensions bubbled, over who had the most.

Frieda and Olivia tired of this moved into a new game, where Olivia wasn't well and Frieda was tending to her ills.   Olivia lay on a bench in the sun and Frieda asked her things about how she felt.   Frieda then ran her hands up and down Olivia's legs and Yoshi asked, 'What are you doing Frieda?'  To which she replied, 'I'm making her feel better.'

Yoshi gave a little, 'Oh.' and joined in and like' little hands on healers', he and Frieda worked on Olivia ... who by this time was actually feeling really good.

Frieda began to gently sing as she worked.  Ted was drawn totally by what was happening and stood for a moment and watched with a big fist of 'money' from the game before.

He looked at the 'healers' at work and then at his hand full of 'money' and in an instant said to himself as he threw the 'money' to the ground, 'Hmm, I don't need all this money.'  looking up to call, 'Hey can I join in?'

Witnessing Ted feel what mattered most and seeing him follow his heart in this moment was precious.   A snippet I'd love to show in every board room in Australia.

 ... it wasn't the money that mattered, it was sharing the love and care.

Simple joy ..

Luca and Sam with an early morning egg cache.

Fine art

Those marks on the side of the little shed ... fine art.

All the children disappeared round one end of the shed together and kept telling me I couldn't look.  It was wet and muddy and I wasn't quite sure what was happening with all the chatter and laughter they were up to.

In the end, Frieda came round and said, 'Come and see our paintings, they're beautiful.'

So I did .. and  found each child with a stick gently dipping into the water on top of the mud to just wet it and then painting to create their canvas masterpiece before them.

This was really inspired and beautiful ... and much to the childrens surprise ... the following week, the paintings had all gone and they spent some time wondering why.

Chilling out with the guinea pigs ...

Ari and Honey

Ted and Ginger .. a great fit in the hoodie!

Re.la.x.ed